Head Shavers - How Many Shaves Do You Get From Your Blade?

[Gman9537]

I'm curious to see what other have to say.

I use a Merkur HD 34C (considering a slant since I have thick hair where it still grows) and I haven't used a wide variety of blades yet, because I quickly found my perfect blade when I started. The third blade I tried was a Feather, and from there, the bar was set pretty high. I have since tried out a few other brands, mostly just getting through my sampler I bought originally, and some of them are OK, but I haven't been moved to bulk buy any other blade than Feather.

Anyhow, to the point - I'm obviously covering more square footage than the average shaver, being that I shave most all of my face and head. I have a chin strap and a birds nest up top that I don't need to shave, but that's all. I get two comfortable shaves, and one less than comfortable out of any cartridge I've tried. So I tend to only go for two shaves per blade.

I can't seem to settle for less than BBS, which may be why I'm only getting two shaves per blade. But I'd like to hear what you folks have to say. How many shaves do you get out of a blade, and what setup are you using? Do you prefer sharper or less sharp blades? More or less aggressive razors? BBS? DFS? CCS?

Face-only shavers chime in too if you're feeling it. I'd like to hear what anyone has to say.

 

[rider4life]

I usually get 3 head and 7 face shaves out of the same blade. Typically blades last two weeks plus or minus a day or two, depending on how many times I shave my head. I use Astra SS. Feathers took off too much of my skin, I was a mass of irritation on my face and head for a few days afterward.

Cheers,

M.

 

[YetiDave]

I use the wilkinson sword / schick extreme iii and get around 7-10 shaves per cart. Works out around 40 shaves for £3 or thereabouts

 

[Gman9537]

I use the wilkinson sword / schick extreme iii and get around 7-10 shaves per cart. Works out around 40 shaves for £3 or thereabouts

yeah, back when I was on M3, I was getting about a week, give or take, out of a cart. It was thrashing the back of my head though. I definitely don't miss having to M3 shave a sun-burnt dome lol ouch

 

[Cruentusa]

I use the Merkur Slant(Awesome) with Feather blades and I want a smooth shave with BBS result. I get three shaves on one blade but the last face shave isn't that comfortable. I could shave my head five times with one blade but it isn't worth the effort switching blades in the middle of the shave.

 

[Graybeard57]

I use the Merkur Slant(Awesome) with Feather blades and I want a smooth shave with BBS result. I get three shaves on one blade but the last face shave isn't that comfortable.

I think three head & face shaves per blade is my limit, but two is certainly more comfortable. I may stop there, only time will tell.

 

[Gman9537]

I think three head & face shaves per blade is my limit, but two is certainly more comfortable. I may stop there, only time will tell.

You guys make me feel normal..-er. I've been reading a lot of folks touting their 7-10 shaves on a blade and thinking I must be doing something wrong...Ha!

Personally I don't see the need to push it. Stop when it stops feeling nice, I'd say. I can get the third shave out of it, but I have to be so ginger on my neck, and have to make extra passes and touch ups on my head, it's not worth the trouble, IMO.

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

I use a

'sensitive' single-blade (orange handle), disposable razor for speed and convenience (and discard the razor after one use), and actually get a BBS headshave (Yeah Baby!!!), without any problems, nicks and bumps.

"Don't ask the barber whether you need a haircut [or shave]". Daniel S. Greenberg

 

[Firewalker]

I get 3 head and neck shaves using a Gillette Super Adjustable Black Beauty set to 9 with a Personna Labs blade and have been getting the best shaves of my life. Carts ALWAYS nick me, even the best of the best or even the single blade Bic's.

I have to admit though, I had a fantastic shave two nights ago from a Sik Bay plastic DE razor I got as a gift from Bestshavenet loaded with an Astra SP I got from a recent pif. I am hoping to repeat the same shave tonight with the same blade and razor, wish me luck!

 

[derjoachim]

On average, two entire head and face shaves, two passes each per blade still gives me a comfortable result. I even got a decent third shave out of an Astra SP, but I prefer to switch blades after two shaves.

 

[Gman9537]

I get 3 head and neck shaves using a Gillette Super Adjustable Black Beauty set to 9 with a Personna Labs blade and have been getting the best shaves of my life. Carts ALWAYS nick me, even the best of the best or even the single blade Bic's.

I have to admit though, I had a fantastic shave two nights ago from a Sik Bay plastic DE razor I got as a gift from Bestshavenet loaded with an Astra SP I got from a recent pif. I am hoping to repeat the same shave tonight with the same blade and razor, wish me luck!

View attachment 316326

That's pretty cool. I'd be afraid to try something I could see mold lines on. I hear good things about the lightweight plastics though. I might have to give it a shot one of these days

 

[chilliman64]

the current HeadBlade triple I am using has had seven shaves and is still going strong. I believe I will easily get at least ten shaves.

if not using a HB then I use a GEM ptfe in a g-Bar, I don't believe I have blunted one yet. generally I will change the blade out if I do a headshave and then follow up with a faceshave that feels rough so I change. if I used one exclusively for headshaving I'd get plenty.

 

[Templar]

I've been head shaving DE for about a year. I was using a ball-ended Tech and Astra SPs, and would shave all week (Monday - Thursday + Saturday) with the same blade, finishing the blade by shaving my dome. Because I had to either use clippers or a shavette to take the growth back to a level the Tech could handle I opted to buy an open comb Merkur (the 40C I think it is? The 1904 immitation) and shave my head more frequently. I've been using the free Supermax blades I got with the order from Shavingshack, but these don't last beyond a single shave. The new razor leaves a lot more stubble too, which I'm actually OK with. It's weird, as it seems far less aggressive, but I get tonnes of ingrowing hairs on my chin because of this razor, even with an Astra SP in it. I'm having to use it just for my head (where it is gentle enough that I don't get any nicks, which were always a feature of shaving with the Tech).

 

[Reevers]

I shave face and head on the same day, every other day and three shaves is the maximum for my setup - EJ DE89 + Red Personnas. I have sensitive skin so if my skin is feeling like it might cause me trouble I will thrown in a fresh blade, even if I have only had one previous shave with the blade.

(I'm not trying to sound flashy but its just not worth the hassle with my skin)

Matt

 

[Curly]

3 shaves for the face and head and I ditch the blade, using Feather blades with various razors.

 

[Gman9537]

I shave face and head on the same day, every other day and three shaves is the maximum for my setup - EJ DE89 + Red Personnas. I have sensitive skin so if my skin is feeling like it might cause me trouble I will thrown in a fresh blade, even if I have only had one previous shave with the blade.

(I'm not trying to sound flashy but its just not worth the hassle with my skin)

Matt

That doesn't sound flashy at all... I can definitely relate. Tough growth, bad follicles, and sensitive skin brought me to DE. And those issues remind me from time to time why I don't go for the third day on a blade. Truthfully, even at one shave per, you're still at about 1/4 cost of Fusions.

 

[MRoney]

I count each shave, whether face or head, as one shave, since IMO the amount of hair/real estate is similar. I was using astras for a bit and would change them every 3rd, 4th on a stretch. Now I am using WS's and I will probably keep them swapped every 4th shave.

 

[watchiekong]

I get about 3 head and 7 face shaves per week from one blade - usually a Wilkinson Sword (my favourite) or an Astra SP blade.
I tend to change blades weekly simply as a matter of course, but have been known to go about 10 days on one blade in my Mergress XL. But it depends on how well the actual blade is cutting (then again, I dismantle and clean razor and blade daily).
I would not try a new Feather blade on my head - did it once and it scraped some scalp skin off and left it sore. I prefer a less sharp (but NOT dull) blade for head shaving and use baby oil - that way I can fine tune and go over parts more than 3 or 4 times.

 

[buyandhold2018]

I use a Gillette Guard (India) on my noggin... 4 shaves max, 2 passes per shave... sometimes I ditch it after 3 shaves.